Thursday, February 25, 2010

I have just joined in on the 'creative space' sharing over at kootoyoo.com, a gorgeous site from a clever crafty lady, Kirsty, in Melbourne. My creative space is a little nook/cupboard close to our front door. It's great in that I don't need to use up a bedroom for an office/crafty space but it is quite little so my creative space often spills over onto the kitchen bench or the lounge floor! I love finding containers for all my crafty stuff and one of my best ever pressies was a label maker..yes, 'monica from friends' tendencies!

My creative project today is to make a start on some felt toys from the cute crafty book

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

On Sunday I made another little satchel bag from the tutorial at 'Ruby in the Dust' for my toddler's friend Lily. I bought the flower fabric from Bernina for the lining and I used a design from the book "Embroidery for Little Miss Crafty" by Helen Dardik for the flower but just changed it slightly so there was a bit of applique to match the lining. I really like this little bag :)

Sunday, February 21, 2010

I saw this cool clipboard project on the website The Creative Mama. My sister is getting married in August and her hubby-to-be is teasing her that she needs a clipboard to get everything organised so I knew this project would be perfect for her! I have also got a problem with bits of paper ripped out of magazines and piled on the bench so I made one for our kitchen too.

I had to buy some Mod Podge craft glue from Warehouse Stationery ( it's like PVA but matt and maybe a bit easier to spread than PVA) and I got the clipboards and the stickers on the metal clip part from Warehouse Stationery too. It was a bit tricky cutting the paper to fit because the only clipboards I found were large ones and my scrapbooking paper wasn't big enough to completely cover the clipboards so I had to do a bit of cutting and trimming, hence the yellow ribbon on my one. I actually think it would look better without the ribbon but it covered up the paper joins and when I was rubbing out the air bubbles I accidentally ripped the paper so the ribbon is a bit of a double cover up!!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

I have just finished my second patchwork gonk this morning from the lovely book "Stitched Toys" by Kate Haxell. I made the pink one for my baby who took one look at it and threw it on the floor so luckily my toddler has taken a shine to it instead. She cuddled it last night in bed which looked very cute. I made the red/blue/yellow one for a friend who is having a baby in August.
Don't you just love their little smiley faces :)

Thursday, February 4, 2010

I have been busy today finishing off my handmade gifts for my toddler's friend Alex. I found two blue check pillowcases at the Salvation Army which have been perfect for these gifts. First I appliqued a pillowcase with his name and a couple of stars (I used a cookie cutter for the star stencil). Then I appliqued a tshirt from Baby Factory. I made some shorts from my hubby's old t-shirt from this great tutorial www.rookiemoms.com/make-some-easy-kids-pants If someone had told me a month ago that I would be able to sew a pair of shorts I would have been amazed but this tutorial does make it seem quite easy. I also made him a softie using the two pillowcases, a bit of felt and ricrac. I have had heaps of fun practicing some of my new crafty skills and it's been a great 'saving money' pressie too as the only things I needed to buy were the white t-shirt and the pillowcase.

Some things I've learnt/need to do next time

when doing the applique do everything in order using the same colour thread so you don't have to keep re-threading the machine for all the different bits

I need to adjust the pattern for the shorts - they are a bit short in the crotch!

learn how to ladder stitch to close my softie opening

be more careful sewing around the rounded bits on the top of the softie

check that the iron is clean before ironing onto white fabric!!

meausure twice before cutting

I am going to make a label and call the gifts a "Time For Bed" parcel :)

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

I have had fun today getting a few bits and bobs to put in my niece Mia's bag I made for her birthday which is today. I went to one of those dollar value shops and got a notebook, some coloured pencils and stickers. Had to put in some yummy sweets too! I made a wallet the other day to go with the bag just out of felt with a bit of applique and embroidery for her name on the front. I got the idea from a moochi necklace I bought back when we were dinks (double income no kids!!!) that came in this cute felt bag.

I have just made her a card too- using a blank craft greeting card and scrapbooking letters from the Warehouse. I cut out some small paper bunting the other night as I was thinking of using that my for blog banner so I just stuck some of them on the card and sewed a little line across the top! The flags are a bit big for the card but they do look so cute! Well I think so anyway!!
I got two lovely treats today too- a gorgeous reddish pink necklace from "Rendezvous" in Tauranga where I had a lovely chat to the lady working there who is in her second year of fashion design at the BOP Polytech. She showed me a top she was making and we discussed how to make a really easy pair of boys boxers/shorts. It is so enjoyable meeting and talking to people about sewing and craft since starting my craft journey.

I also got a very cute coin purse from Cat Taylor today thank you Cat- I have put it on the outside of my bag to show it off :)

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

I love this little art display above my baby's cot. It ended up being quite affordable too! I bought these lovely nursery rhyme greeting cards from a card shop in Taupo a few years ago now and I framed them with simple white square frames from the Warehouse which were only about $10 each. Again this was a while ago but I find sometimes you go into the Warehouse and there are heaps of great frames and then a few weeks later there are hardly any! Or you could go to an op shop and see if you could find some frames there. The hardest part was getting them all straight and evenly spaced on the wall! I really like the white frames against the green wall and the card illustrations are so sweet.

In her room we also painted the wardrobe doors with magnetic paint. It needed three coats over the top of it so it isn't particularly strong- just holds flat, light magnets but my todder and her friends love playing with them! Will have to move them up soon when the baby starts crawling though!

welcome

Hello and welcome to 'mousehouse'-a place I share crafty projects, home design and organising ideas, fun things for kids to make and do, classroom and teaching ideas and lots more...

Megan

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"To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring- these are some of the rewards of the simple life"